Just a Kiss
by 12500
Summary: We all remember *that* scene between Kyoya and Haruhi. This is where we begin. Let's see what happens next! Note: Sexual themes. For author comments/updates, please see my user page!
1. Chapter 1

"You've left yourself completely defenseless against me."

Kyoya leaned over Haruhi, restraining her with his forearm. She could feel his warm breath on her neck. This was supposed to be terrifying, but she knew her rapid heartbeat wasn't out of fear…it was a different feeling. It was something…exciting.

"I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me…" Haruhi felt herself losing her ability to speak, but she pushed on. "For one thing…you have nothing to gain from it."

A hint of a smile appeared at Kyoya's lips. He lifted his eyes to meet hers. "That's an interesting thought. Although I think...I believe there are certain factors…that you're failing to take into account."

Kyoya let his eyes wander over Haruhi's body. He let them rest on the gentle curve of her thighs, her waist, he observed with pleasure the two little tents her breasts made in her nightgown. Haruhi could see the hunger in his eyes, and she understood, in that moment, exactly what Kyoya had to gain.

He was close to her…much too close. But a part of her wanted him to be closer. He shifted his position a little, and she could feel…a part of him…through his pants. She wasn't supposed to feel that tiny twinge of satisfaction, but she did. She knew she wasn't supposed to want this. But she did.

Kyoya had her pinned down; her arms were held fast, but she lifted her head slightly, and left a gentle kiss on Kyoya's lips. This seemed to drive him into a frenzied madness, his eyes became feverish, and suddenly she felt his hand slide up her nightgown.

He breathed heavily as he gripped the soft flesh of her thigh. She wanted to ask him to stop, but she couldn't. She knew this shouldn't feel so good, but she couldn't help it. She drank in the sight of Kyoya's upper body. The shape of him was satisfying. Before she knew it, he had slid his other arm underneath her, drawing her hips closer to his.

Haruhi was on fire…every part of her body burned; though there was one place in particular she felt it the most. She resisted the urge to pull his hips even closer…

…But just as she was worried she wouldn't be able to resist any longer, a loud knock at the door interrupted her. Kyoya had only managed to scramble half-way off her before Tamaki entered the room.


	2. Chapter 2

"…I just wanted to see if you had any…lotion…"

Tamaki paused as all the elements of the scene before him coalesced. The light was off. Kyoya was shirtless. Haruhi was in a nightgown. They were both on the bed together. Tamaki's confused expression was transformed by anguish and rage.

"How could you do this to me, Kyoya?! You knew that I LIKED HARUHI!"

Kyoya calmly walked into the bathroom as Tamaki hurled insults. "Here's the lotion. You should probably-"

"I DON'T WANT YOUR STUPID LOTION!" Tamaki had become hysterical. He threw the lotion to the ground dramatically and left, slamming the door behind him.

"Tamaki!" Haruhi called out after him, but he had already left. Haruhi got up, intending to pursue him, but Kyoya put a hand on her shoulder and sat her back down.

"Just let him go. He needs to get over this on his own." Haruhi knew he was right. But now there was the question of herself and Kyoya. The relationship between them had clearly changed in those brief moments before Tamaki's interruption…but what did that mean?

"So…what happens between us now?" Haruhi asked.

"What do you mean?" Kyoya's tone was ever so innocent. How typical of him.

"Don't pretend you don't know!" Haruhi was irritated by his faux-naiveté. "I know you felt something for me. I could tell by the way you looked at me. And I kissed you, so…you must know I felt it too."

Kyoya paused for a moment. Haruhi was so honest and frank…it made his job harder. He couldn't just pretend nothing had happened now that she had brought it all out into the open. He didn't like being cornered this way, but he realized he had to make a choice, and he had to make it right now.

"Haruhi, I…well, at first, I was going to say that you imagined everything. That I was just joking around, and I had no feelings for you. But…"

Haruhi knew this would be difficult for Kyoya. He never had been very good at sharing his feelings.

"…but we both know that that wouldn't be the truth. I…"

"…it's okay," Haruhi said finally. It was hard for her to watch him strain over his feelings. "I understand."

Haruhi kissed him softly on the cheek, and got up from the bed. She moved toward the door, but felt a sharp tug at her arm.

Before she knew it, Kyoya was on top of her, kissing her desperately, his hands were everywhere, she wanted him more than ever…

…but she found the strength to lift her arms to Kyoya's chest, and gently push him away. "Maybe we should wait a little while."

Kyoya gazed at her expectantly. He seemed to want to hear more.

"I just…I think…we should get a little more comfortable with each other first."

Kyoya nodded his agreement, and Haruhi left. She tiptoed past the glass doors to the living area on her way back to her room. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a sobbing bundle of blankets and blonde hair.


	3. Chapter 3

It hurt Haruhi badly to see Tamaki in this state. She watched him through the glass for a few moments as the pile of blankets heaved and shuddered. She felt awful, and wanted nothing more than to comfort him…but she knew that wasn't a good idea. Tamaki wasn't particularly rational at the best of times, let alone at a time like this. Kyoya was right…Tamaki needed to work through this without her.

Still, Haruhi thought it might be better if Tamaki had someone to keep him company. She thought Honey was probably the best choice…he is so sweet and bubbly. If he couldn't cheer up Tamaki, then nobody could.

Haruhi left Tamaki and proceeded down the hall to Honey's room. She knocked quietly at his door, and waited a few moments. Nothing. She knocked again, a little louder this time. Nothing. While she waited for a response, she pressed her ear against the door. Sure enough, she could hear Honey's little sighs and snores. He was fast asleep. Haruhi let out a moan of frustration, and hoped that the other boys were heavy sleepers as she banged furiously on Honey's door.

After a few moments, a door opened…but it wasn't the door she had knocked on.

A groggy voice called out from behind her. "Who's making all that noise?"

Haruhi turned around, only to find Hikaru standing there…completely naked.

"Oh…Haruhi. Uhh…" Hikaru looked sheepish, but made no effort to cover up.

Haruhi quickly shielded her eyes. "I've seen enough of that for one day!" she muttered. "Anyway…Hikaru…Tamaki is really upset. I was trying to get Honey to go and look after him. Could you do it instead? He's in the living area…" Haruhi began walking hurriedly back to her room.

Hikaru looked confused. "…Why couldn't you do it yourself?" he called after her. Haruhi declined to answer, and disappeared around a corner before Hikaru could question her further.

Hikaru was worried about Tamaki, of course, but his more immediate concern was with Haruhi's strange behavior. Normally she'd be the first to comfort Tamaki, if he ever needed it…why was she acting so weird? And "I've seen enough of that for one day"? What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Hikaru headed back into his room to rouse Kaoru, but he found Kaoru already awake. "I woke up as soon as you got out of bed…what just happened?" Kaoru had also realized the strangeness of this situation.

"Well," Hikaru began, "Haruhi was banging on Honey's door, to try and get him to go and comfort Tamaki. He's apparently upset for some reason. I tried to ask Haruhi some more questions, but she just ran off."

Kaoru looked perplexed. "That is really odd. Maybe we should all go down and see how Tamaki is doing. He might know what's going on." Kaoru paused for a moment. "…I guess we'll need to wake Honey".

By some miracle, Honey had woken up of his own accord, and stood in the Hitachiin's doorway, clutching his pink bunny.

"You're so cute in those pajamas, it's sickening," Hikaru said with a wry smile.

"You should probably put on some pajamas yourself!" Honey replied with an enormous grin. Hikaru sighed, and fished his shorts up from the floor (where he'd left them that evening).

"Honey, we're going to see Tamaki in the living room. Haruhi says he's really upset."

A look of concern crossed Honey's face, but he brightened up almost immediately. "I'm sure I can help cheer him up! I'll even bring him some of my special chocolate sponge cake!"

Honey hurried back to his room to retrieve the coveted cake, and the three of them headed down to the living room to see Tamaki.


	4. Chapter 4

Tamaki had finished his loud wailing cries by the time the boys arrived in the living room, but his eyes were weepy and red, and ringed with dark circles. Nobody could remember the last time Tamaki was this upset…which made it even more strange that Haruhi had refused to help him.

"What happened, Tama-chan?" Honey's sweet voice was enough to bring a hint of a smile to even Tamaki's face, but it was a bittersweet smile. "I'm sure it's not that bad!"

Tamaki looked down at the floor and sighed. "Haruhi is with Kyoya now." Speaking these words seemed to drain him.

"What do you mean, _with_ him?" Hikaru asked with a hint of suspicion. "Are you saying they're boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Tamaki winced. Of course that was what he meant, but hearing it said so bluntly felt like a knife in his heart. "I saw them together…in Kyoya's room. I just wanted some lotion…but then I saw Kyoya and Haruhi…they were on his bed…" Tamaki couldn't hold back the tears any longer, and fresh, pained sobs filled the room once more.

This bothered Hikaru for a reason he couldn't quite put his finger on. But his thoughts were quickly interrupted by Honey's sympathetic cries.

"Aww, Tama-chan! That's so sad!" Honey reached over and gave Tamaki the biggest, tightest hug he could muster. "But I brought you some cake! Cake makes everything better!"

Tamaki devoured the cake gratefully, but as soon as he'd finished, the glum, downward tilt of his mouth returned.

"Well..." Kaoru began, "maybe it wasn't what you thought. Can you be totally sure that they were…you know…doing stuff together?"

The mere suggestion of 'stuff' made Tamaki erupt into a fit of wails, but after a few moments, the meaning of Kaoru's words sunk in, and Tamaki latched onto the vain hope that nothing had happened between Kyoya and Haruhi. "….I…I guess…it's possible…"

"But how can we be sure?" Hikaru asked, with a hint of aggression.

Kaoru could sense that Hikaru was a little too invested in finding out whether Haruhi was dating Kyoya, but it seemed to have slipped by the notice of Tamaki and Honey.

"Well, we're at Kyoya's beach house, right?" Kaoru was fairly certain he would have to come up with the ideas for the moment. "Let's all just go down to the beach again tomorrow. We'll keep an eye on Kyoya and Haruhi…if they're really a couple, they'll probably try and wander off alone together."

"That's a great idea, Kaoru!" Tamaki seemed strangely invigorated. "I'll get to see for sure if Kyoya's a deceitful-"

"Tamaki," Kaoru interrupted Tamaki's impending diatribe. "You look really sick. I think you should stay here when we go to the beach tomorrow. Let us follow Kyoya for you." Kaoru expected to hear a barrage of complaints and refutations, but, to his surprise, Tamaki didn't put up a fight.

"Okay. I guess that's a better idea." Tamaki began to gather up his array of blankets. "I'm going to go to bed. See you guys in the morning." Tamaki slowly shuffled himself off to his room.

"I guess we should go to bed too," Honey suggested with a wide yawn. "I'm so tired!"

"Okay, but first let's talk strategy," Kaoru suggested. "Tomorrow at the beach, we'll split up into two groups. Honey, you can stick with Mori, and Hikaru will be with me. Hikaru, we'll keep watch over the southern part of the beach, and Honey, you and Mori can take the north."

"That's fine with me!" Honey was already on his way back to his room.

"Yeah…sure." Hikaru's agreement was a little more reluctant, but that was probably out of fear of what they'd find.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey, where's Haruhi?" Honey asked. "Isn't she supposed to be coming to the beach with us?"

"She's probably still asleep…I'll go and wake her." Kyoya left the rest of the host club boys in the living room, and headed over to Haruhi's room. He quietly knocked on her door. "Haruhi…it's 11am, and we've all decided to head down to the beach. Will you be joining us?"

"Uh…sure, just…give me one minute…" Haruhi replied groggily. She'd barely had a chance to wake up.

Kyoya ignored her request and let himself into her room. "And…I'm so sorry to inform you, but…your old swimsuit was accidentally ruined in the wash. Don't worry though, I bought you a new one."

Haruhi noted the expensive royal purple bag and the hint of a grin playing at Kyoya's lips. She raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"You don't have to wear it if you don't want to…but will you at least try it on for me?"

Haruhi had her doubts, but she supposed she might as well see what Kyoya had picked out. She reached into the bag and pulled out…with a sigh…the flimsiest bikini she'd ever seen. She wasn't even sure if it would cover everything. "Ugh…Kyoya. You know I would _never_ wear this. And NO, I'm NOT going to try it on for you, so just get out of here and let me get ready for five minutes!"

"Suit yourself," Kyoya replied nonchalantly. "See you in five minutes."

After he left, Haruhi pulled off her nightgown and stared down at the tiny bikini. She left it in its bag and begun choosing some other clothes for the beach. She didn't have much else to wear, but she managed to find a dowdy pair of shorts and a t-shirt that would be suitable. She began to pull on a regular pair of underwear, but the purple bag caught her eye again. On an impulse, without knowing her own thoughts, she grabbed the bag, and climbed hastily into the bikini. It was a little difficult to get into…the crystal chains that were supposed to drape over her shoulders and neck kept getting tangled. Like most things, Kyoya's choice in swimwear was far too extravagant.

She quickly threw her t-shirt and shorts on over the top, and made her way over to the living area.

"Hurry up, Haruhi!" Honey called out to her from the front door. Everyone was on their way out already.

"So…I guess Tamaki's not coming?" Haruhi directed the question to nobody in particular as they walked down to the beach.

"He wasn't feeling well," Hikaru answered hurriedly. "He decided to stay home." While addressing her, Hikaru noticed something sparkling near Haruhi's shoulder. He carefully allowed himself to hang back in the group, to get behind her and look a little more closely.

There was no mistaking it…that was a crystal chain underneath her shirt. It couldn't possibly belong to Haruhi…she didn't own such expensive things. What's more…it looked a _lot_ like part of a very revealing bikini that his mother had recently designed. The Ootoris often got advance previews of his mother's collections…could Haruhi be wearing that swimsuit under her ugly old t-shirt?

"Is anybody thirsty?" Kyoya asked, out of the blue. He was a little impatient to get away from everybody.

"I am!" Honey replied eagerly. "I'm really thirsty! I want some chocolate milk."

"No! No, Honey's just fine!" Kaoru realized that Kyoya might be about to ask Haruhi away on a little excursion to get drinks. "We're all fine, right guys?"

"Uhh…actually…I don't really want chocolate milk right now! I'm okay!" Honey seemed to take the hint.

"Well…I'm certainly thirsty. While I'm gone I might as well get drinks for everyone. Haruhi, would you mind coming with me?" Kyoya did his best to keep a neutral expression, but his deception was apparently quite transparent. He had mistakenly relied on the assumption that the other boys didn't already suspect something between himself and Haruhi.

"Oh, Haru-chan, you don't want to do that!" Honey said with a smile. "You only just got here! We should play games in the sand! You can get drinks with Kyoya later."

"Well…actually…I'm pretty thirsty too. I think I'll just go with Kyoya and pick something out." Haruhi realized what Honey was trying to do, but…it was plausible for her to just be thirsty, right? Going with Kyoya to get drinks didn't really confirm anything one way or the other.

"Oh, well, you know…now that I think about it, I'm pretty thirsty as well!" Hikaru exclaimed. "But I don't know what I want. I'd better come too."

Kyoya sighed a little more loudly than he should have. "Of course." The three headed back up the path to the Ootori villa.

Kaoru shrugged. So much for their plan.


	6. Chapter 6

Kyoya, Haruhi and Hikaru made their way back up to the villa in silence. Both Kyoya and Haruhi seemed displeased with Hikaru's presence. It was making him a little uncomfortable, but Hikaru knew he needed to stick with it…the more irritated the two of them became, the more sure he could be that something was going on between them.

But just as Hikaru felt sure that he had prevented Kyoya and Haruhi from finding themselves alone, a blonde-haired figure came stomping down the path towards the beach.

"Tamaki!" Hikaru called out.

Tamaki looked up at the three of them, and stopped when he reached them. "I changed my mind. I decided that I do want to go to the beach after all."

Kyoya might have resented Tamaki's presence, but he quickly realized the opportunity that he'd been given, and moved to seize it.

"Tamaki…you look awful. I really think you should go back inside." It didn't really matter what Tamaki did at this point…whether he argued or acquiesced, Kyoya had a plan. Though it would probably be easier if Tamaki went down to the beach.

"Well _actually_ Kyoya, I think the fresh sea air will do me some good!" Tamaki retorted. It was just the response Kyoya had expected.

"You know Tamaki, I think you're right." Haruhi had also realized the opportunity to get rid of Hikaru. "Fresh air is good for sick people. But I don't think you should go alone. Maybe Hikaru should go with you, while Kyoya and I get the drinks."

"That's a great idea, Haruhi," Kyoya agreed. He continued on before he could be interrupted. "We'll see you both back down at the beach soon."

Before Hikaru could protest, Kyoya and Haruhi were on their way back up to the villa. They walked together in silence for a little while.

"Kyoya...I know we're not going to get drinks, but…where _are_ we going?" Haruhi asked finally, once she was sure they were out of earshot of Hikaru and Tamaki.

A coy grin graced Kyoya's lips. "Let me show you."

After a few minutes of walking on the path back to the villa, Kyoya stopped. There didn't seem to be anything significant about the place he'd chosen to stop; the path continued upwards just as it always had. But Kyoya gazed at Haruhi expectantly, as if prompting her to solve the puzzle. Out of the corner of her eye, behind a small tree, Haruhi finally spotted it: a narrow dirt path. Kyoya ducked underneath the branches and plunged into the thick forest. Haruhi followed suit.

Eventually the narrow path widened a little, and Kyoya gently grasped Haruhi's hand. As he did, Haruhi felt a warmth rising in her chest…and her cheeks. Kyoya smiled when he noticed.

After walking for some time (it was hard for Haruhi to say how long), the dirt beneath their feet had transformed into soft white sand. Kyoya had brought them to a tiny, secluded little beach.

"It's…so beautiful," Haruhi managed. The sea sparkled in the sunlight, and the sand felt so soft beneath her feet. The warm wind blew in her hair, and the waves lapped gently at the shore.

Kyoya smiled. "This isn't even the best part. Come with me."

How could anything be better than this? Haruhi followed him eagerly…she couldn't wait to find out.

He led her across the sand, and over to a sandstone cliff. "It's high tide, so this water is a little deeper than usual. We'll have to walk around this cliff…it's not far, but you might get wet." Haruhi gazed up at Kyoya, and noticed a little sparkle in his eyes. "You should probably take off your shorts, at least."

Haruhi flushed a deep red. She hadn't decided whether she wanted Kyoya to see her in that swimsuit yet. She began to panic.

"NO!" She shouted suddenly. "I'd rather-"

"That's okay," Kyoya replied calmly as he stripped off his shirt. "I'll just have to carry you."


	7. Chapter 7

Without adequate warning, Kyoya lifted Haruhi into the air. She threw her arms around his neck for balance. Once she'd regained her composure, Haruhi realized her cheek was pressing into Kyoya's bare chest. She thought she should probably reposition herself, but it felt good to be so close to him. The slow, rhythmic beating of his heart began to quicken…was he enjoying this as much as she was?

"Comfortable?" Kyoya asked with a playful smirk. Haruhi nodded enthusiastically, and he plunged into the cool water.

He walked carefully: the water was waist-deep, and a small misstep could have soaked Haruhi's shorts, but they managed to round the cliff without issue.

"Look, Haruhi…" Kyoya nodded at the shore. "You can't see much of it right now, but we're headed toward that cave over there." Haruhi strained to see over the hill of sand that blocked her view of the cave.

"Oh! I think I see-"

Haruhi was interrupted by a sudden, enormous wave that came crashing down behind them. The wall of water surged forward, wrenching her out of Kyoya's arms. They tumbled through the wave together; Haruhi flailed blindly in the murky water, her arms searching for Kyoya. She felt a strong hand seize her wrist, before she was roughly thrown onto the shore by the unrelenting current.

Haruhi felt something graze her cheek; she felt Kyoya's hot, wet body pressed up against her own; the salt, the sand, the cold wind on her face, Kyoya's iron grip on her wrist. His eyes were wild and frantic; his chest heaved with adrenaline and exertion…perhaps she should have been frightened, too, but all she could think about was how much she wanted him.

"Haruhi!" He let go of her wrist, and tenderly smoothed her wet hair off her face. He gasped when he saw the scratch on Haruhi's cheek. "You're hurt!"

Just as the words left his mouth, the scratch began to sting. Haruhi grimaced a little, and Kyoya's eyes betrayed his deep distress at this.

"I think we should go back to the villa," Kyoya declared sternly. "You need to-"

"It's just a little scratch!" Haruhi said with a smile. "It'll be fine. I still want to see the cave….even just for a minute!"

Kyoya sighed his acquiescence. The cave was just a few meters away, it couldn't hurt for her to see it just for a minute…though she might be disappointed when she realized they couldn't stay for the picnic he'd prepared. He carried her over the sand, and toward the entrance to the cave.

As soon as she was able to see inside it, Haruhi knew the cave was something special. The walls of the cave glowed turquoise, and as they came closer, Haruhi could see why. Inside the cave…it was really more like a grotto…there was a pool of water…the deepest, clearest blue water she'd ever seen. Sunlight shone up from underneath the water, illuminating the whole cave. Stalagtites hung from the ceiling, and salt crystals on the walls of the cave shimmered like thousands of tiny diamonds. Haruhi was speechless…she had never seen anything like it.

On the right side of the cave there was a small, sandy bank, upon which sat (to Haruhi's great delight) a small wicker picnic basket.

"You said we should get to know each other better," Kyoya began. "I agree…so I thought it might be nice for us to have lunch together. But since-"

"It's _wonderful_, Kyoya. This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen…It's magical…And it was so thoughtful of you to bring lunch for us!" Haruhi's face beamed with happiness, and Kyoya suddenly found himself unable to force her away. He couldn't bear to disappoint her. Besides, he'd packed a medical supply kit in the picnic basket…he was certain he could dress Haruhi's wound himself, especially given all the training he'd had at his father's hospital. He had no reason to suspect that the Ootori family doctor would do a better job, at any rate.


	8. Chapter 8

"HARUHI AND KYOYA HAVE DISAPPEARED!" Hikaru was desperately shaking Tamaki awake to let him know the terrible news. "Where's Kaoru? I need to tell him!"

It took a moment for Tamaki to realize what Hikaru had said…but once he did, he broke into a hysterical, teary-eyed panic. "How could this be? Where did they go? We should never have let them leave us like that!"

The commotion attracted Kaoru's attention, and he wandered over to Hikaru and Tamaki.

"How could you be so calm at a time like this, Kaoru?" Tamaki asked accusingly. "Didn't you hear? HARUHI AND KYOYA ARE MISSING! What's wrong with you?"

"What?" Kaoru paused for a moment, though it was hard to think with those two screaming and crying right in his ears. "Wait a minute…so how do we know they're missing? Couldn't they just be alone somewhere by themselves?"

"Don't you think I would have thought of that already?" Hikaru was incensed. "I know they're missing because they just disappeared into the sea! I saw it!"

Kaoru knew he needed to intervene before Hikaru became as histrionic as Tamaki. "Okay…so, what did you see? Just…try and calm down for a second and tell me exactly what happened. Take a few deep breaths."

Hikaru breathed deeply, and managed to tell the story.

"Okay…okay. What happened was…after Tamaki and I got back to the beach, I looked up towards the house to see if I could see Kyoya and Haruhi coming back down. They weren't coming down the path, but I noticed the top of Kyoya's head moving through a random patch of bushes. I looked for a bit longer and I saw Haruhi was with him.

"I wanted to know where they were going, so I left Tamaki here with you, and I went searching for whatever path they were taking through the forest. There was nothing obvious leading off the main path, but I searched for about 20 minutes…I finally found a tiny little dirt path leading in the direction Kyoya and Haruhi were going. I followed it.

"Eventually, I found that the path led to a little beach. I saw footprints leading from the path, over the beach and into the water…but there were no footprints coming back out! They weren't swimming, either…I couldn't see them anywhere. They just disappeared into the sea!"

Hikaru looked grim, and Tamaki had turned white as a ghost. The two sat, shellshocked, for a few seconds, until Tamaki (before Kaoru had a chance to make any sensible suggestions) regained his voice: "WELL DON'T JUST SIT THERE! We need to call the Ootori police! And the ambulance! And the fire department! And the-"

"The Ootori police!" Kaoru interrupted, before Tamaki could suggest they call the secret service and the Prime Minister himself. "That's a great idea, Tamaki. I'll call them right now." Kaoru snapped open his phone and dialed.

"Ootori police; what is your emergency?"

"Kyoya Ootori, and his friend Haruhi Fujioka, have gone missing from the beach. It appears they went into the water, but didn't come out. We're extremely worried, can you help?" Kaoru managed to keep his voice fairly steady, despite his concern.

"Kyoya Ootori is missing at sea?" The operator sounded extremely worried. "We'll deploy our entire marine fleet."


	9. Chapter 9

"I asked our family chef to prepare us some sandwiches," Kyoya began, "but I made these myself." Kyoya presented Haruhi with a box full of chocolate chip cookies.

"Wow, Kyoya, they look amazing!" Haruhi exclaimed. Indeed, each cookie was perfectly round, and (as she discovered after taking a generous bite of one) the perfect blend of crunchy and chewy. "Mmm…these are the best cookies I've ever eaten. You're good at so many things, Kyoya!"

Kyoya answered with a smile. Haruhi didn't need to know about the eighty or so cookies he'd had to bake that morning in order to produce a dozen perfect ones…though he was fairly sure Honey would be happy to help him dispose of that evidence later.

"Now that you've had a little bit to eat, I need to take a look at that cut on your face." Kyoya said seriously, his brow furrowed with concern.

"I'd hardly call it a cut!" Haruhi laughed. "It's just a tiny scratch! It's fine!"

"Well it would make _me_ feel better if you'd allow me to take a look." Kyoya began preparing the materials in his medical kit. "Will you let me?"

Haruhi sighed. "Okay…but only because it'll make you feel better." She gave him a teasing smile.

"Good. Now lay your head in my lap." Kyoya attempted to muster a clinical tone, but he didn't quite manage. Haruhi was a little more successful in suppressing her grin as she lay down and put her head in position.

"Okay, first I'm going to use this saline solution to wash the sand and dirt out." Haruhi looked up at the small plastic bottle in Kyoya's hand, and watched him twist it open. He carefully squeezed some solution onto a soft cotton pad. "This shouldn't sting, but it might be a bit uncomfortable if any dirt is stuck deeply in the cut," he informed her. Thankfully, the dirt came out easily.

"Now I'm going to sterilize the cut with one of these alcohol wipes," Kyoya continued. He looked down at her gravely. "This is definitely going to sting a little…just hold my hand." Kyoya offered her his left hand, and gently wiped Haruhi's scratch with his right. Haruhi grimaced, and gripped Kyoya's hand tighter…he was right, it stung…but holding his hand comforted her, and in a few moments, the stinging went away.

Kyoya went on to apply some antiseptic cream and a large adhesive patch.

"Are you sure this isn't too much?" Haruhi asked, laughing. "If anyone sees me like this, they'll think half my face fell off!"

"This is the best way to prevent infection," Kyoya replied. He looked over at Haruhi as he spoke, and noticed she was shivering. It wasn't surprising…caves are not known for their warmth, and Haruhi's wet clothes certainly weren't helping.

"Haruhi…you're shaking." Kyoya sounded concerned. "You need to take off your wet clothes and get dry. It's not good-"

"NO!" Haruhi became panicky again. "I just don't want-"

"Hey," Kyoya interrupted her calmly. "I know why you don't want to do it. I could see the crystal chain on your shoulder…But it's okay…I'll look the other way. You can dry off with this towel, and then you can have another one to wrap around you when you're done."

Haruhi gazed back at him…she still seemed a little hesitant. But she scooped up both towels, and instructed Kyoya to turn around. As he did, she gingerly stepped out of her cold, wet shorts, and pulled her t-shirt over her head (with some difficulty, as the soaking fabric kept clinging to her skin). She dried herself off, and bundled herself up in the soft, warm towel Kyoya had brought for her. "Okay, you can look now," Haruhi announced. "Hey, Kyoya…"

"Yes?"

"You have some wet shorts on too…we don't want_ you_ to get sick, Kyoya! You should probably take them off!" She struggled to suppress her laughter.

"Uhh…" Now it was Kyoya's turn to be a little body shy. "Well the thing about that is…you know guys don't wear underwear under their board shorts, right? Plus I bet these will dry really quickly…much faster than your denim shorts…"

"It's okay!" Haruhi replied with an enormous grin. "I promise, I won't look!"

Kyoya scooped up the towel Haruhi wasn't using, and just as he was about to undress, his phone began to ring.


	10. Chapter 10

"Okay, well at least now the police are looking for them." Hikaru sounded relieved after Kaoru had spoken to the Ootori police. "Maybe we should try and find Honey and Mori…they need to know what's going on."

"That's a good idea," Kaoru agreed. "We'll head over to the north side of the beach…they'll probably still be there."

The three walked to the north side of the beach in silence. Each was caught up in his own thoughts. Where could they be? Are they okay?

"The pier over there marks the beginning of the north side…they should be somewhere nearby," Kaoru remarked after some time.

Just as Kaoru pointed out the pier, a blue and white speedboat came hurtling towards it. The boat docked at the pier, and five Ootori police officers filed out.

"Mr. Suoh, and the Hitachiin brothers, I assume." The head officer greeted them warmly, but with some concern. "We have completed a naval search of the coastline within 10 kilometers of this pier. We were unable to find Mr. Ootori. However, this is not bad news: if Mr. Ootori were in immediate danger of drowning, we would surely have found him at sea during this search. As we did not find him in the water, it is likely that he is somewhere on land. We have now begun a full-scale exploration: Officers are carefully searching every small beach and all forest areas for any signs of Mr. Ootori and his friend, Ms. Fujioka."

"Thank you for letting us know," Tamaki replied.

From down on the beach, on the other side of the pier, Honey had just spotted Tamaki and the twins. "Mori, look! There's Tama-chan, and Hikaru and Kaoru! But…why were they just talking to those police officers?" Honey was perplexed.

"I don't know, Mitsukuni." Mori was a little worried…those three were prone to getting themselves in trouble.

"TAMA-CHAN!" Honey yelled out once the officers had disappeared. "HIKARU! KAORU!"

Eventually, Tamaki noticed Honey's incessant shouting and arm waving, and he and the twins ran down to the beach, as fast as they could, to meet Honey and Mori.

"Honey-senpai! Mori-senpai!" Tamaki begun, short of breath and wheezing dramatically. "We have some terrible news…"

Tamaki went on to tell them the awful tale of how Haruhi and Kyoya had simply disappeared into the sea. "….the officers told us that they did a search by boat and couldn't find them! I can't believe this is happening-"

"But," Kaoru interrupted Tamaki, "the officer said it might be a good sign that they didn't find Kyoya and Haruhi in the water. It means they're probably somewhere on land. Well, that's what they say."

"Oh, Takashi, I'm so scared!" Honey was very upset at this news. "What if we never find them?" His large brown eyes filled with tears.

Without a word, Mori pulled out his cell phone, and dialed Kyoya's number. It was a tense few moments until Mori spoke.

"Kyoya?...So you're okay?...And Haruhi?...Right. Did anyone try and call you before?...Okay."

Mori stared down at Tamaki and the twins with a mixture of anger and pity. How could anyone be this idiotic?


	11. Chapter 11

"Who was that?" Haruhi asked, once Kyoya had put his phone away.

"It was Mori-senpai…he asked if we were okay, which I'll admit was a little odd. I told him we were, and that was it. I decided not to mention your cut…I thought it was best not to stir up any trouble about it until we're all back up at the villa."

"That was a good idea. I can only imagine what Tamaki would do if he heard about it…he's always overreacting to things." Haruhi paused for a moment, and in that brief moment of silence, her stomach growled loudly.

"I guess you're hungry," Kyoya commented, with some amusement. "Well, we still have those sandwiches to eat." He pulled the sandwiches out of the picnic basket, and handed one to Haruhi.

Haruhi unwrapped her sandwich eagerly. It looked so delicious…the crust was crunchy, the greens looked so fresh…she couldn't wait to take a bite.

"The baguettes were flown in from Paris this morning, fresh out of the oven," Kyoya commented lightly, "and the greens were hand-picked by our chef from the vegetable garden."

Haruhi stared down at her sandwich, a little in awe: it was hard to believe that, just a few hours earlier, the bread in this sandwich had been in an oven somewhere in Paris. Finally, she took an enormous bite, and the sandwich was (somehow) even more delicious than it looked.

"Kyoya…this is the best sandwich I've ever eaten in my life!" Haruhi took another large bite.

"I'm glad you like it," Kyoya responded with satisfaction. He took a bite of his own sandwich before speaking again. "So, Haruhi…have you thought about what you want to study at university?" He knew it was a dull question, but hopefully it would get Haruhi talking about what she was interested in.

"You know, I'm really not sure," Haruhi responded. She stared into her sandwich again, considering the question. "Literature is my favorite subject, but I'm not sure that I can major in it. I know my dad would freak out, and tell me that I can't get a job anywhere as a literature expert. I guess I could become a professor of literature, but it doesn't seem sensible to choose my major for such a specific job. So, at this point…I just don't know." Haruhi looked up at Kyoya, attempting to read his face; but, as usual, he was mostly inscrutable. "What about you, Kyoya? Do you know what you want to do?"

Kyoya grabbed a fistful of sand from the ground beside him, and allowed it to slip slowly through his fingers. "It's ironic, really," he began, as the sand blew away in the gentle wind. "My father, my brothers…everyone I know says I should get a degree in business, so that I can run one of my father's companies when I graduate.

"But the truth is, I've spent so much time managing my own businesses that, if I did end up running one of our companies, university would be largely useless to me. At the same time, though, it's essential. Nobody would respect a CEO without a university degree." He lifted up another fistful of sand, and again, watched it blow away. "It's all very…ritualistic." Kyoya watched the sprinkles of sand, as they slowly sunk in the clear blue water.

"But Kyoya…you didn't answer my question," Haruhi gently pointed out, interrupting his reverie. "I asked you what you wanted…but all you talked about is what your father wants for you, and what's expected of you. That's not the same thing as what_ you_ want."

A strange look passed fleetingly over Kyoya's face…nobody had ever said anything like that to him since Tamaki had...and that seemed like so long ago. Most people still viewed Kyoya's goals, and his father's goals for him, as one and the same. No distinction required. But Kyoya shook his head, and quickly regained his composure.

"If we're talking about running businesses in general…I'd have to say I find it fairly enjoyable. There's definitely a thrill to be had…is the stock going up? Going down?" He paused for a moment, and gazed steadily into Haruhi's eyes. He cupped her cheek delicately in his hand. "But…that thrill is really more like a drug. It's shallow, and transient. And until recently, I thought that's all there was."


	12. Chapter 12

"So you didn't try and call him first?"

Mori raised an eyebrow skeptically at Tamaki and the twins, but his voice remained as even as always.

"Uhh…" Hikaru stared sheepishly at the ground, before glancing up at Tamaki. All eyes were on the host club's king as he struggled to formulate an explanation for this oversight.

"Well…" He began with a hint of confidence, the kind of confidence that comes from repeatedly formulating ideas on the fly. But this time, his mind failed him, and the sentence died off before he found his solution. It took him a few moments to speak again. "I guess we need to call the Ootori police, and let them know."

Honey could sense the dread that Tamaki and the twins felt over the situation, so he decided to make the call himself.

"Ootori police, what is your emergency?"

"There's no emergency! We just wanted to let you know that Kyoya and Haruhi are okay! So you don't need to search for them any more!"

"Excuse me, may I ask who is speaking?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself earlier! I'm Kyoya's friend, Mitsukuni Haninozuka!"

"Mr. Haninozuka! Of course." This time, the officer's tone was far more deferential. "It is a privilege to speak with you, and I am very pleased to hear that Mr. Ootori is safe. Do you know his current whereabouts?"

"I don't know exactly where he is, but I promise, he's okay! Takashi just talked to him on the phone! And we don't think Kyoya wants to be disturbed right now, so you really don't need to worry about looking for him."

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Haninozuka," the officer replied with heavy regret, "but it is the strictest policy of our police force that all persons reported missing must be sighted by an officer before we can consider the matter closed. I offer my sincerest apologies, but unfortunately, we simply must locate Mr. Ootori."

"Oh…okay," Honey replied dolefully. "Well, we'll call him back and let him know that he needs to tell you where he is."

"That would be most helpful, Mr. Haninozuka."

Honey put his phone back in his pocket and stared glumly at his feet. "They said they have to find Kyoya…they can't just stop looking for him." He gazed up at Tamaki, and his eyes welled with tears. "Oh Tamaki, I feel so bad for you! Kyoya's going to be so mad!"

"…I know," Tamaki replied with a sigh. "I guess we better call him, then, like you told the officer we would…he should at least know they're looking for him." Tamaki reached for his phone, and dialed Kyoya's number. He was aware that Honey would have happily made the call for him, but he knew it was his own responsibility.

* * *

Kyoya stared deeply into Haruhi's eyes…almost as if he could see the soul hidden behind them. "That's what I thought…until I met you." He paused, carefully considering what he wanted to say. "Tamaki is a wonderful person. He showed me the true value of friendship, and he's been my best friend for a long time. And until now I thought that...that was as good as it gets." He pulled his eyes away from her, and stared at the ground.

In those brief moments, Kyoya looked almost shy…almost vulnerable. It was very strange, and Haruhi quickly realized that she might have been the first person to see this side of him. But almost as soon as it had left, Kyoya's cooler demeanor returned, and he pulled his hand away from her face.

As he did so, he inadvertently shifted Haruhi's towel into a precarious position, and before either of them realized what had happened, the towel was sitting in a heap around Haruhi's body. Haruhi's cheeks flushed red; and the color grew deeper as Kyoya continued to stare at her. She tried to catch his eyes, but those eyes were clearly occupied with other parts of her body. Haruhi wanted to reach for the towel…or at least, she felt that she should…but she couldn't help but like the way Kyoya looked at her; the greed, the hunger in his eyes. His hands were balled into fists; it was so hard for him to restrain himself…yet she wanted nothing more than for him to give in…

Finally, Kyoya could hold himself back no longer; his touch was electric…everywhere his hands went, Haruhi felt the shock radiate through her whole body. His hands were moving upwards…she knew where they wanted to go, and she didn't want to stop them.

The grating ring of Kyoya's cell phone rudely interrupted them. But before Kyoya could even get up to answer it, five police officers filed into the cave.

Reflexively, Kyoya stood up. As he did, the towel around his waist fell to the ground, and the officers were treated to the rather magnificent sight of Kyoya's manhood.

"Oh, god!" One of the officers muttered under his breath as he shielded his eyes. "I mean, uh…I'm very sorry for interrupting you, sir. We received a report that you were missing, sir. We will report back that you have been located." The officer turned to his colleagues. "All right men, let's leave Mr. Ootori to…uhh…to his business." The officers made a hasty exit.

Kyoya's eyes crackled with fire as he re-fastened the towel around his waist. His phone was still ringing…it was Tamaki.


	13. Chapter 13

Tamaki let Kyoya's phone ring out for quite a while, though he eventually gave up, and snapped his phone shut.

"He didn't answer," Tamaki remarked with a hint of worry. "Well...I guess he's just busy. We should probably wait for him back at the house."

The boys meandered down the beach, and along the path back to the villa. It was empty when they arrived.

As soon as they opened the door, the smell of something delicious hit Honey's nostrils. "Mmmm…someone's been baking cookies in here!"

"It smelled like cookies in here this morning, too," Mori noted. "Perhaps you didn't notice it because your room was full of chocolate cake."

"Well I definitely smell them now!" Honey replied eagerly, as he ran off to the kitchen in search of them. The quick patter of his footsteps on the smooth marble tiles echoed through the hallway, and a muffled "Yep!" proceeded from the kitchen.

"I was right…there's so many cookies here!" Honey announced to the rest of the boys, who had just followed him in. Honey busied himself with the complicated business of shoving as many cookies into his mouth as possible, while the other boys observed, with some surprise, that the kitchen was filthy.

Every part of the Ootori villa was always kept immaculate. Fresh flowers in the vases, floors polished like mirrors; everything clean, everything tidy. But the kitchen was an absolute mess. Dirty mixing bowls cluttered the counters, baking trays still covered in used baking paper sat on the kitchen island. Almost every surface was lightly dusted in flour, like fresh fallen snow.

Whilst the other boys were taking in this bizarre state of affairs, Tamaki noticed a flowery pink paperback sitting next to Honey's pile of cookies.

"What's this?" Tamaki picked up the book, and flipped it over. "The Perfect Date, by Renge Hoshakuji…" Just as Tamaki was beginning to understand the significance of this, the book fell open to a dog-eared page. _Tip #8…Do something sentimental! I recommend baking cookies. Most girls love cookies, and she'll think it's super-sweet that you made something just for her! _

Tamaki's eyes widened as the realization struck him. "KYOYA TOOK HARUHI ON A DATE!" He wailed with indignation. "And he baked her cookies…"

Tamaki collapsed into a chair, defeated, and began muttering under his breath. "I can't believe Kyoya needed to read that stupid book just to think of baking cookies…If I went on a date with Haruhi, it would be the most beautiful-"

"The most beautiful expression of your fatherly love?" Hikaru interrupted him with a smirk. He had clearly intended the remark to be humorous, but Kaoru was sure he detected a hint of bitterness in the tone. For a few moments, nobody spoke, and the only sound in the room was the crackle and crunch of cookies between Honey's teeth.

"Well…I'm glad to see you're enjoying those, Honey-senpai," said a voice from beyond the kitchen doorway. Tamaki's blood ran cold at the sound of this voice…the cold, cruel, mocking voice of Kyoya Ootori.

"My officers have informed me that you three," the Shadow King announced diplomatically as he circled Tamaki and the twins with his index finger, "were the ones responsible for calling emergency services to report me missing."

At this point, the three culprits had sunk into their chairs, heads in hands. It was best to simply accept the Shadow King's judgment…Tamaki, at least, had learned and relearned that lesson first-hand. All they could really do was wait for their punishment.

"My officers deployed their entire naval fleet. As you can imagine, this process was quite expensive. In fact, according to my calculations…each of you has cost my family almost one million yen. My father will certainly expect me to cover this cost, so each of you therefore owes me one million yen."

Kyoya paused, allowing Tamaki and the twins to breathe a sigh of relief. _Is money all he wants? _

Kyoya smiled devilishly, and continued to speak. "However, this trip began as a Host Club vacation getaway. Therefore, all three of you were acting in an official capacity as Host Club members when you made this report. This means that the Host Club owes this debt to me, and, in turn, you owe the debt to the Host Club."

Tamaki and the twins could sense a scheme, but they did not yet realize the significance of this information.

"Here at the Host Club, we have established a precedent for the manner in which Host Club members are to repay their debts." Here Kyoya paused, hoping to see a glimmer of realization in Tamaki's eyes. Seeing none, he went on. "And so, in accordance with this precedent…each of you will take turns acting as the Host Club's dog."


	14. Chapter 14

"Well, Tamaki, I think we'd all like some more of that commoner coffee," Kyoya announced breezily. "…You'd better head down to the supermarket and get some."

Tamaki flinched. He hadn't been sure whether Kyoya was serious about making him the Host Club's dog for the next two weeks. Apparently, he was perfectly serious.

"Oh! And don't forget your new uniform." Kyoya walked briskly over to the changing rooms, and rummaged around in the seemingly infinite walk-in closet where the Host Club kept its collection of elaborate costumes. Finally, he pulled out a shabby old sweater and collared shirt, and an ill-fitting pair of grey pants.

"Kyoya!" Haruhi looked annoyed. "Those are _my_ clothes! I thought you threw them out when you gave me my Ouran uniform…"

"Well, you never know when a commoner costume is going to come in handy," Kyoya replied with a sly grin.

Tamaki had remained silent for several seconds, but he eventually managed to scrape his jaw off the floor. "You're going to make me wear….THAT?!"

Tamaki stared at Kyoya, and, unable to contain himself, began hurling protestations. "How could you do this to me Kyoya, that outfit is the most hideous, most disgusting, most horrible thing I've ever seen! This is cruel and unusual punishment! What would-"

"You know, those _are_ my clothes, senpai," Haruhi pointed out, with no small measure of irritation. "I really don't appreciate you saying they're disgusting."

Tamaki's face immediately reddened with embarrassment. "Well, I mean, I…it's just that…well…" Tamaki jerked his head suddenly toward Kyoya. "This is all YOUR fault! How dare you insult Haruhi by calling her clothes a commoner costume?! That's SHAMEFUL!" He marched triumphantly out of the room.

"Tamaki…" Kyoya followed him out the door.

"_What_?"

"You still need to go and buy that coffee. And put on your outfit." Kyoya thrust Haruhi's old clothes into Tamaki's arms, and shoved him back into the changing room.

Tamaki sighed deeply, and began to undress. He hung his Ouran blazer on a hook in the cubicle, and slung his pants over the top of the pink curtain that separated him from Kyoya. As soon as he did this, the pants began to slide over the curtain, and down onto Kyoya's side of the room.

"Hey!" Tamaki called out indignantly. "What are you doing with my pants?"

"I'm just going to hold onto your phone and your credit cards," Kyoya announced as he searched Tamaki's pockets. "You'll be taking commoner transport to the supermarket."

The color drained from Tamaki's face. _Commoner transport?_

"I've left you enough cash for the coffee and for a bus," Kyoya informed Tamaki as he slung the pants back over the curtain. "It shouldn't take you more than an hour."

* * *

Tamaki's eyes darted left and right as he sat, alone, in the bus shelter. He pulled at a loose thread in Haruhi's sweater nervously, and without realizing it, he began to make a rather large hole in the elbow.

He checked his watch. It would only be a few more minutes.

While he was waiting, an elderly woman sat down next to him. She surveyed him with crinkled, beady eyes through the spectacles balanced on the end of her nose. Eventually, her critical glare softened, and she reached into her purse.

"Why don't you take this, young man," the old woman asked him gently, as she proffered a ¥1000 note. "I hate to see a nice boy like you all alone out here on the streets."

Tamaki stared at her blankly for a few moments. _Does she think I'm…HOMELESS?!_

"Oh, please...I don't need any-" Tamaki lifted his hands in refusal, and as he did, the sleeve of Haruhi's tatty old sweater fell down to reveal his gold Rolex wristwatch.

The old woman immediately drew back her arm in disgust, and thrust the money back into her purse. "Why, you little thief! I can't believe I almost helped a horrible, thieving street-urchin like you! Loitering around, stealing other people's watches…what has the world come to?"

As the old woman concluded her tirade, the bus arrived, and she marched aboard in a huff.

Tamaki sighed deeply. _I guess I'll be walking_.


	15. Chapter 15

"Well, now," Kyoya began, "we're short one host, but I've decided on today's theme with that in mind."

He ushered the host club (minus Tamaki) into the changing room, and continued speaking.

"As I'm sure all of you realize, Renge recently wrote a book about dating. What you may not realize is that we've released the book as an official Host Club publication. So far, the book has been extremely popular, and we've made quite a profit from the sales."

The Host Club stared blankly at Kyoya, and waited for him to continue. The boys were content to assume that the relevance of this information would be made clear later, but Haruhi was more curious. She snuck a glance inside of one of the changing room cubicles, trying to figure out what today's costume would be.

To her surprise, she found a uniform not unlike the Ouran Academy uniform. In fact, it was almost exactly the same, except the blazer was cream-colored and double-breasted, the pants were hunter green, and the tie was red.

"Uhh…Kyoya?" Haruhi asked with a furrowed brow, "…why are we wearing some other school's uniform as a costume?"

"Well I was just getting to that," Kyoya replied as he pulled back the pink curtain fully to reveal the uniform to the rest of the club. Almost immediately, the twins let out a synchronous groan.

"What are you two complaining about?" Haruhi asked, with a hint of irritation. "As far as ridiculous Host Club costumes go, these ones are pretty reasonable."

"You might think so if you didn't know what these costumes actually _were_," Hikaru responded derisively. "But we know."

Kaoru shot Hikaru a knowing look. "Kyoya's making us dress up as-"

"_UKI DOKI MEMORIAL!"_

Renge's shrill, overly excited voice filled the changing room. "I knew you said you had a treat for me Kyoya, but I didn't know it would be _this_ amazing! This is going to be the best Host Club cosplay ever!"

"I'm delighted to hear your appreciation," Kyoya responded casually. "Yes, Renge is quite right. Today, we'll be cosplaying as stars of the hit video game, Uki Doki Memorial. I wanted to thank Renge for her work on the book, and I thought this was the perfect way to do it."

"I have one question, though," Renge remarked with a hint of concern, "What is Haruhi going to do? All the other boys have a clear character to play, but Haruhi is left out!"

Kyoya smiled. "Well, Renge, I picked today as our Uki Doki cosplay day because we only have five hosts available. Tamaki won't be able to make it, unfortunately. He is…completing some Host Club business for us. Therefore, Haruhi will be playing Kenji Suzuki, the lonely prince."

Renge's eyes lit up. "That's even better! Haruhi is so naturally lonely and distant, he's perfect!"

Haruhi groaned, but it was impossible to hear over Renge's enthusiastic ramblings.

"Well, I'm so glad you're all as excited as I am!" she announced to a row of decidedly unexcited faces. "I'd better let you get changed!"

A collective sigh filled the room as soon as Renge had left.

"Why are you doing this to us, boss?" Kaoru asked earnestly.

Kyoya stepped toward Kaoru, and looked him in the face. His eyes were triumphant.

"Because you deserve it."

* * *

Tamaki wandered through the aisles like a lost child searching desperately for its parents. But of course, he was actually a lost 16 year old searching desperately for instant coffee. His hour-long trek through the rain and mud had left him exhausted.

Finally, after what seemed like an age, a golden glimmer caught his eye. It was the lid of the Gold Blend commoner coffee! Tamaki seized it from the shelf and held it high in the air.

"I FOUND IT! ...I FOUND THE COFFEE!" he shouted triumphantly.

At that moment, a little girl rounded the corner of the aisle. "Mommy, why is that dirty man yelling?"

The girl's mother grabbed her shoulder, and turned her away. "Don't look at him sweetie, he's probably mentally ill."

* * *

"I still don't really get it," Haruhi began, "Why is this Uki Doki Memorial thing so bad? We just have to wear these costumes, right? It's not the worst thing we've ever had to do."

Hikaru sighed. "Haruhi, you don't understand, because you haven't played Uki Doki Memorial. But we have…and believe us, this isn't going to be a simple matter of standing around in Uki Doki uniforms."

Haruhi covered her mouth, but couldn't suppress her laughter. "Why would you guys voluntarily play that silly game?"

Kaoru shot her a filthy look, and Hikaru looked like he could explode with anger. "You think we would voluntarily waste our time on that trash?"

Hikaru took a moment to cool off, and continued. "When we were practicing for that stupid film Renge made, she forced us to play that game over and over. So we could 'get into character' or something. I don't know. But anyway…"

Kaoru picked up where Hikaru had trailed off. "The thing is…" It almost pained him to say it out loud. "The Kajiyama twins aren't just star basketball players. They're also…well they also…"

There was a long pause, until Hikaru finally finished the sentence. "They also sing duets."


	16. Chapter 16

"NOW LET'S GET STARTED!"

Renge's battle cry echoed through Music Room 3 as the Host Club exited the changing room.

"Each of you has a very important role to play in making this the PERFECT Uki Doki Memorial cosplay garden party! This is going to be the most popular Host Club event of the year and I DON'T want you to screw it up!"

Renge turned to Honey first. "Honey-senpai, I know you had a really hard time playing the little bully, Mitsue Yasukawa, in my film. Honestly your performance as this character isn't crucial to our success today. So you can pretty much just be your usual self. Eat cake, be cute. Whatever. Next!"

Honey giggled with satisfaction as Renge turned to Mori. "Mori-senpai. Your natural personality is a great match for Noritaka Takizawa. You two are so similar! Just be yourself, it'll be great!"

Honey looked up at Mori and smiled…it seemed that the two of them had got off pretty lightly.

"Now Haruhi!" Renge bounded over to where she was standing. "I can't believe I even considered that Tamaki would be Kenji when you're so obviously the _perfect_ lonely prince! All you have to do is stare wistfully off into the distance like you always do. Except maybe sigh a little more than usual. And if you get a chance, ask one of the guests, 'Will you be my special someone?'…It's one of Kenji's most memorable lines in the game! Just do that and you'll be amazing!"

Renge paused for a moment. She allowed her eyes to rest on the twins, and pointed an accusatory finger in their direction. "You two."

"You irritating troublemakers have nothing in common with the sweet, wonderful Hitomi and Hitoshi Kajiyama."

Renge glared at the twins, and went on.

"BUT…unlike the little bully Mitsue, the Kajiyama twins are a fan favorite and you MUST get them right, or else this cosplay will be ruined!"

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "And wouldn't that be just terrible?"

His mocking tone met with another irate glare from Renge. The room fell silent, but the fire in Renge's eyes seemed to crackle and hiss.

"I'd make every effort to satisfy Renge, if I were you," Kyoya suggested lightly, without looking up from his black notebook.

"And why is that?" Kaoru asked. He eyed Kyoya's notebook with suspicion.

"The Uki Doki garden party, along with the calendar photographs and some other promotional materials, is going to be our biggest moneymaker of the season, if not the entire year." Kyoya finally lifted his eyes, and managed to smile at the twins. "If you two manage to play the part, I'll forgive your debt to the Host Club, and you won't have to act as Host Club dogs."

The twins shared a meaningful glance. It did seem tempting to go along with Renge's demands (whatever they were), if only to be spared further humiliation later on.

"If you refuse to cooperate, however," Kyoya continued, as the corners of his lips turned comfortably downward, "I'll be forced to add the expenses for this party to your debt." He scanned a few pages of his notebook, double-checking figures. "I've hired a professional photography and videography team for this event, among other things. These expenses total nearly two million yen. It will all be wasted if you two can't do your jobs adequately."

Kyoya began walking toward the door. "Renge, I'll leave you to it."

Honey, Mori and Haruhi followed Kyoya out of the room, leaving Renge alone with the twins. The door closed behind them, and Renge scowled at her subjects as she pulled some papers out of her bag.

Renge slammed the papers into Hikaru's chest. "Here are your songs. You will sing them, you will learn them, and you WILL LOVE THEM!"

The papers were labeled "Hitomi" and "Hitoshi". Hikaru handed the 'Hitomi' music sheets to Kaoru. This way, he could at least avoid being the twin with the girl name.

"That's not fair, why do I have to be the girl twin?" Kaoru complained.

"It's obvious you're the girliest twin!" Hikaru replied with a teasing tone. He imitated Kaoru's voice, mocking him. "_Oh, Hikaru_…"

"Hitomi is a better fit for you, Kaoru. End of discussion!" Renge snapped. "Besides, both the Kajiyama twins embody the height of beautiful masculinity." A dreamy sigh escaped Renge's lips, and the twins groaned loudly in response.

"SHUT UP!" Renge glared at the twins…she'd been doing that a lot lately. "Now, the first song you will sing is called _Like a Brother's Love._" She allowed the twins to grumble for a moment, and went on. "This song is about how no friendship compares to the sweet, wonderful brotherly love that the Kajiyama twins share. Use your own brotherly love as inspiration! Or don't. I don't care, as long as it's _good_! We only have half an hour to prepare, so read the music quickly and LEARN IT!"

* * *

"Excuse me!" Tamaki barreled toward a store employee at the supermarket. "I would like to buy this coffee!"

The employee was quite confused by Tamaki's strange behavior (not to mention the awful state of his clothing), but directed him toward the checkout lines at the front of the store.

Tamaki waited patiently behind an old man, who seemed to take a very long time to count out his change. A short line formed behind Tamaki, but eventually the old man left, and he could finally purchase the coffee.

"That will be ¥300," the cashier informed him in a bored monotone.

"Of course," Tamaki replied cheerfully as he dug around in his pocket. "Huh, that's strange…maybe I left it in my other pocket."

Tamaki's face turned white as he patted his body everywhere he could think of; searching for the smooth, square lump of his wallet. It was nowhere to be found.

"I'm…so sorry," he stammered, "I…can't find my wallet. But I really need this coffee!" He turned his most pleading eyes on the cashier, but the stony-faced man seemed quite indifferent to Tamaki's puppy face. Tamaki looked down at his hands, helpless, until he spotted his golden watch.

"Here! Take this! I promise you, it's worth much, much more than ¥300!" Tamaki's voice was desperate.

"I'm sorry sir, but we cannot accept goods as a form of payment. We take cards or cash only." The cashier stared at him without sympathy, and tears began to well in Tamaki's deep violet eyes. The cashier continued to stare at him: it was a clear signal that he should leave the store. Tamaki hung his head, and stepped away from the checkout. He was about to leave when he heard a kind, motherly voice behind him.

"Oh, don't cry, you silly boy, it's only coffee." Tamaki turned to see a woman loading her groceries onto the conveyor belt. She turned toward the cashier. "Please include this young man's coffee on my bill," she instructed.


	17. Chapter 17

Kyoya directed the photographers and videographers as they set up their equipment around the garden. It looked stunning: cherry-blossom trees shed their delicate petals on all the tables; the stream flowed peacefully over smooth pebbles, and the sky was clear and blue. But the centerpiece of the event was an outdoor stage: a raised platform covered in grass, and enclosed by a circle of Grecian columns.

"Make sure you have an excellent view of the stage," Kyoya instructed one of the cameramen. "This is where the duet will happen, and I want at least two different angles. But try to stay out of the way of our guests: they'll be seated at these tables." The cameraman nodded and left, scouring the garden for an appropriate position.

Kyoya stared around at the bustle of activity: waiters carefully arranged delicate pastries on the tables, gardeners made their finishing touches to the already-immaculate hedges and rosebushes...but the other hosts were nowhere to be seen. _Still, they have a few minutes left_, he thought as he checked his watch.

At that moment, Haruhi entered. Good. He had been meaning to speak with her privately.

"Haruhi," Kyoya called her toward him.

"What's up?" Haruhi replied brightly. She noticed a sly shimmer in Kyoya's eyes. He was definitely up to something.

"I'm going to…pull a little stunt here today." Kyoya stared at Haruhi intently, trying to gauge her reaction. She seemed more curious than condemning. "I just need you to play along."

* * *

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Tamaki exclaimed as he shook the kind woman's hand with far too much vigor. "I'm so grateful for your generosity."

The woman smiled. "I'm glad I could help." She began to walk away, but Tamaki followed her.

"Please, I would really, really appreciate it if you would do me one more favor," Tamaki said, as humbly as he could. "Do you have a phone I could borrow for just a few seconds?"

He had no choice but to call his family car service: it was breaking Kyoya's rules, but Tamaki had no time to waste. He was probably already late, considering he walked to the supermarket instead of catching the bus.

The woman sighed, and looked over the despondent boy in the ratty, much-too-small clothes. He might be a vagrant, but he seemed so harmless. She fished her phone out of her handbag, and passed it to Tamaki, who smiled widely and gratefully.

"Yes, this is Tamaki Suoh. I've…misplaced my phone but I can assure you, it's me. I need you to pick me up immediately from the City Plaza Supermarket."

Tamaki wondered how he could thank this woman for her kindness, when he happened to notice a box of chocolate-coated almonds in her shopping basket. "And please, bring over a box of chocolates from Fleur Noir…Yes, the biggest box they have. And put in plenty of the ones with the almond ganache."

* * *

Kyoya's phone buzzed in his pocket. The text message would be an incomprehensible array of numbers to anyone else looking; but to him, it said that two minutes ago, an unknown number called the Suoh limousine line. Tamaki was on his way.

_And just in time_, Kyoya thought as Renge dragged Hikaru through the gilded gates of the garden. Kaoru followed them, his head hanging low.

"Well, now that we're all here," Kyoya began as Honey and Mori stumbled in, "We can start taking photographs for the calendar. The photographer is set up near the stage, but we'll have to finish up before the ladies arrive."

"Why's that?" Haruhi inquired. "Usually they like to see us taking the calendar photos."

Kyoya couldn't suppress the malevolent grin at the corners of his lips. "That's true, but the stage will be required for another purpose. After the ladies are seated, the twins will be giving us a little performance."

* * *

The woman gazed at Tamaki as he returned her phone. She was utterly bewildered: who could this scruffy young man possibly have called? She gave herself a moment to think, and could only conclude that he must be delusional. She sighed sadly at the poor boy's tragic affliction, and she began to walk away.

"Please, wait just a moment," Tamaki entreated her in earnest. "I promise, it'll be here right away. I'd really like to give you a gift."

The woman smiled, and began to explain that she really had to be going. But just as she finished, a black limousine pulled into the no-parking zone.

"Here it is!" Tamaki shouted enthusiastically. The driver gave Tamaki a quizzical look, but he knew Tamaki could wear some pretty eccentric clothing at times. "Did you bring the chocolates?"

The driver picked up a large, flat box, and passed it to Tamaki. The handmade black paper was velvety to the touch, and _Fleur Noir_ was embossed on top, in curled silver lettering.

Tamaki bowed as he presented the woman with her chocolates. "A small token of my appreciation."

The woman was left astonished, as the vagrant boy stepped into the limousine and sped off.


	18. Chapter 18

"Okay, one more…closer together boys, I need you all in frame!" The photographer instructed. "And I think we'll have the twins hold hands."

The camera flashed, and the world began to blur. A stream of colors rushed past Kaoru's eyes, and before he knew it, the stage was clear, the guests were seated…and it was time for the duet.

The first bars of the music began to play. Somehow Kaoru was standing in the right place.

Kaoru watched as Hikaru drew a deep breath, readying himself for the opening lines. In a moment, they burst forth from his lungs, sweet and powerful.

_You know that I would die for you,_

And somehow Kaoru's lips parted and his jaw began to move.

_I'd spread my wings and I would fly for you,  
__Oh Brother!_

The guests were sighing, clapping, cheering; the piano melody soared: it was electrifying, and Kaoru began to relish the attention, just as Hikaru had done since they stepped onto the stage.

_Our love is like the swells of the ocean,  
__And our hearts beat like the tide on the sand,_

_So take my hand, my brother,  
__And I'll never let it go,_

_We are one, forever,  
__And we'll always be together…_

A sudden sense of dread washed over Kaoru. The cheers of the guests seemed to melt away as his eyes rested on Kyoya.

This was supposed to be a punishment. It was supposed to be awful! And as Kaoru studied Kyoya's satisfied, scheming expression, he realized that the punishment had yet to begin.

* * *

The limousine pulled up outside Ouran Academy, and Tamaki ran past the iron entrance gate, toward the large fountain outside the Main Hall.

He arrived, panting, and was about to turn inside, when he heard the echo of a faraway song. He stopped to listen a moment, and he realized the voices sounded very familiar. Almost exactly like Hikaru and Kaoru.

Tamaki wavered: he was already so late; he really shouldn't be wasting time following the sound of singing. Then again, what harm would another minute do? It was only coffee…surely Music Room 3 could wait just a few more seconds.

The music led Tamaki toward the garden. He walked past the neatly clipped hedges (they were possibly even more neatly clipped than usual) and toward the gilded garden gate.

* * *

_There he is._ Kyoya had been keeping a careful eye on the gate, waiting for Tamaki to arrive.

It was time to begin.

Kyoya gestured at the pianist, who promptly stopped playing. Kaoru's mouth snapped shut, and Hikaru was silent a moment later. The whole garden stood still, save for the flickering of a hummingbird's wing.

Just before the inevitable muttering broke out, Kyoya stood up.

"Haruhi."

Haruhi turned to face him, and Kyoya gripped her wrist and pulled it toward his body. She stumbled forward, and into Kyoya's arms. _What the hell is he doing?_

"I…I've been wanting to tell you this for such a long time. Ever since the moment I first met you…"

The guests drew a deep breath as Kyoya cupped Haruhi's face in his hands, and drew her closer.

"…Haruhi…I love you."

Haruhi knew these treacle-sweet words were no true expression of love, but as she stared into Kyoya's eyes, she could see a sparkle of genuine affection.

For a brief moment, it seemed as though she and Kyoya were the only two people in the world, but that illusion soon gave way to the overwhelming sensation of being watched.

The guests had let out a collective gasp when Kyoya declared his love for her, and now they looked to Haruhi, eyes like saucers, to see what she would do.

For a moment, she was speechless, but a sudden inspiration struck her. She knew exactly what to say.

"So you'll…be my special someone?"

Kyoya answered by scooping Haruhi off her feet. He leaned in close to her face…much too close…and all of a sudden, he was kissing her deeply. Haruhi could feel her cheeks burning as his tongue circled hers. Almost reflexively, her arms wrapped around his neck, her eyes closed, and all she knew was the beating of Kyoya's heart, and his lips against her own.

This was all far too much for the Host Club guests to handle. The garden was filled with screeches of glee, and raucous conversation about what had just happened.

"This is the cutest thing ever!" "I didn't realize they swung that way." "Can you believe it?" "Finally, a real host club couple!" "So adorable!" "Kenji Suzuki's line! It was so perfect!"

The banter went on and on, and Haruhi swore she heard the phrase "real-life yaoi" several times. It was all pretty amusing…until she saw Tamaki's face through the garden gate.


	19. Chapter 19

Everything in Tamaki's body went limp, as though every last bit of strength had been drained out of him. His fingers loosened, and the coffee jar shattered on the ground. He stared at the remains: a million tiny crystals shimmering in the sun. And one jagged piece, like a blade. Tamaki picked it up gingerly, and laid it in the palm of his hand. For a moment, he simply stared at it; noticing the way the light hit the pointed tip.

Without thinking, he gripped the broken shard as hard as he could. Rivers of blood coursed between his fingertips and ran down his sleeve, but he felt no pain. The pain was inside.

He threw the bloodied glass down and ran.

* * *

Haruhi wanted to run after him, but the throng of guests around her blocked the way. And Kyoya was giving her that knowing look, the one that said 'don't follow him'. She had no choice but to smile, hold Kyoya's hand, and pose for the dozens of photographs the guests demanded.

The rest of the host club went largely ignored. Honey and Mori didn't seem to mind this at all: Honey took advantage of the many forgotten pastries available to him, and Mori looked on, with mild disapproval, as Honey stuffed them into his mouth.

The twins, however, appeared to resent their lack of attention. As the guests began to filter out, they could be seen sitting on the edge of the grassy stage together, sulking.

Haruhi failed to notice any of this: she had more pressing problems to deal with. As soon as the last guests had left the garden, she fixed an icy glare on Kyoya.

"You must have known Tamaki was standing right there!" Haruhi growled under her breath; she didn't want the other hosts to hear her. "How could you do this to him, Kyoya? I would never have gone along with it if I'd known! I can't-"

"And why is that?" Kyoya asked. His voice was quiet and thoughtful.

"Why is _what_?"

"Why wouldn't you have kissed me if Tamaki was watching?"

Haruhi paused for a moment, her anger momentarily forgotten. "…I knew it would hurt his feelings."

"And why would it hurt his feelings?"

Kyoya's obtuseness frustrated Haruhi. "Why do you keep asking me these things? Isn't it _obvious_?"

"It's obvious to me. I'm not so sure that it's obvious to you."

Haruhi sighed, and attempted to answer Kyoya's question. "Tamaki…cares a lot about me. That's all."

"Is that what you honestly believe?" There was a little heat rising in Kyoya's voice, but he kept it in check. "Haruhi…Tamaki is in love with you."

It took a few seconds for this to sink in. But as soon as it did, Haruhi gasped with recognition. All the hints she had missed seemed to flash before her eyes. That night at the Ootori villa, when Tamaki cried seeing her with Kyoya, said he_ liked_ her…how could she have been so blind?

In Haruhi's silence, Kyoya began to explain himself.

"I know you'll think it was wrong of me, especially now that you finally understand how he feels. But this was always going to happen, one way or another."

Kyoya's heart was heavy with regret, but the truth of the words pushed him onward. He grabbed Haruhi's hand, and pulled it toward his chest.

"You're mine. And I'm selfish. I couldn't have it any other way. And as long as Tamaki loves you, he'll have to be disappointed."

Haruhi sighed sadly. "I know that. But what I don't understand is why you had to be so cruel to him!"

Kyoya bristled at the accusation. "And what was the alternative, Haruhi? We could keep pretending nothing was going on, let Tamaki get his hopes up, and drag him through the mud again and again. Or we could get it over and done with."

He paused, and breathed deeply. "It was always going to hurt him. I thought it was best to do it quickly."

* * *

Tamaki ran as fast as his feet would carry him. He didn't know where he was headed, but he found himself plunging into the rosebush maze; becoming lost in the corridors of blossoms that fenced his path.

Eventually, he came upon a marble gazebo covered with red roses. An overwhelming sense of loss washed over him; as though some long-forgotten memory dwelled between its weathered white columns.

Tamaki stepped underneath its cool shade, and as he did, a white rose petal fell from the ceiling. As it floated slowly down to the ground, his mother's words echoed in his mind. _You are my rose_.

He bent down and lifted the pale petal off the ground. The blood on his fingers smeared it red.

Tamaki's sobs were lost in the wind.


End file.
